Medigold Health, or how to cleverly combine 2D and 3D animation
Hybrid animation is a powerful tool that allows you to create unique effects by combining elements of 2D and 3D animation. With this technique, you can make a really interesting product presentation or draw the viewer into an educational journey. It’s an ideal option for both startups and giants who want to turn up their image.
All right, but where did it come from? We go back to the 1990s, when Disney and Ghibli began experimenting with mixing drawn characters with 3D effects. The famous Bella and the Beast dance scene in “Beauty and the Beast” (1991) is a classic example – 3D graphics gave depth and realistic camera movement. And now? “Arcane” from Riot Games and Fortiche – characters in 3D, backgrounds and effects in 2D, and the result? Absolute visual shtick!
In our latest project for Medigold Health, we decided to play a little with the magic of hybrid animation and create a dynamic explainer video. The mix of classic 2D animation with 3D effects was a hit! Thanks to a solid script and precise storyboard, we were able to grasp the shots and smooth transitions between techniques in advance. It was these steps that allowed us to maintain the consistency and quality of the entire project, and the audience to enjoy a visual masterpiece.
page from the Medigold Health storyboard
A key element was to create a unique look. We opted for a combination of 3D renders and 2D illustrations, which gave us that WOW effect – 3D depth, but with 2D soul. This made the whole thing blend seamlessly, and the 2D elements including the character animation didn’t stand out, but blended elegantly into the image.
Illustration for shot 04
And how did we embrace it all on the technical side? Well, the magic doesn’t happen on its own! The biggest conundrum was how to cleverly combine the 3D renders with the 2D animation so that everything would snappy smoothly and look like one cohesive whole.
How did we do it? Easy! First we storyboarded and illustrated to lay out the shots and transitions. Then the fun with animation began – and here it wasn’t so rosy anymore. Shots in full 2D? Loose. But when merging with 3D comes into play, the stairs begin. We divided the illustrations into layers and dropped them into a 3D program. There we created animations of the 3D objects, rendered the whole thing and flipped it back into After Effects. Sounds good doesn’t it ? However, with some scenes the fun was even greater. Sometimes we only did individual buildings or vehicles in 3D. The animator had to get along with the 3D artist to determine camera movement and shot timing. In After Effects, character and effects animation was created, and in 3D we created backgrounds or objects in the foreground. Then we edited the whole thing in AE. And yes, it was a bit like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, but with a wow effect at the end!
The final step? Perfectly orchestrating the transitions between scenes. We created a 3D nimation, combined it with 2D and… boom! We got it!
A shot broken down into 2D and 3D elements
Such a workflow required us to be well in tune, so the animators worked directly with the 3D artist to make sure everything played like clockwork. So there you go – here’s the end result! Phew… but it was a no-holds-barred ride! 🙂
